


With Time

by PlacesBetween



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Mentions of canon character death, Post season three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 14:20:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11359248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlacesBetween/pseuds/PlacesBetween
Summary: In the aftermath of Savitar, Harry tries to find his place again on Earth-1. It's of no surprise to him, that the only place he can see himself is by Cisco's side.Takes place directly after the season three finale.





	With Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Terrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terrie/gifts).



> I hope this fulfills what you were looking for and that you enjoy it.

The first time Harry makes no attempt to conceal his identity on Earth-1 is marked by the burial of a man who had shared his face. He can't bring himself to hide behind a ballcap, pretending he's someone he's not while he watches the coffin being lowered into the ground. It's the second time a Harrison Wells has seen their life end on this Earth. It should send him running back home, where his identity doesn't need to be hidden. Where he can make anything happen for himself with just the simple statement of his name. One look at Cisco's broken face, and the decision to stay is far easier than he ever imagined it could be.

Without Jesse there, Harry can't help but feel like an outsider, looking in on something he should by all rights, not be privy to. He didn't know HR the way they apparently did. He never saw much there to like. HR was too much of everything. Too loud, too eager, too happy. It set Harry's teeth on edge to see his own face looking back at him with eyes so bright and innocent. An opinion he had thought was shared the last time he was here, from the eyerolls Cisco sent his way each time HR rambled on. But something had clearly changed. 

Cisco had changed. Harry knows he isn't the most socially gifted man around, but he's aware enough to realize that when you leave people, they won't be exactly the same when you return. He just never expected Cisco, after all their time working side by side, passing barbs back and forth over too hot coffee and meals rushed so they could get back to their work, would ever seem like a stranger to his eyes. The thought sits heavy in his stomach.

With each consecutive visit, he's noticed Cisco become just a touch more serious; a touch more filled with pain. He knows he's missed a lot, and it leaves him wondering if the Harrison Wells who really knows Cisco; this Cisco; is the one buried beneath the Earth. If Harry is now the impostor; the man playing pretend, standing beside these people as if he has a right to be there.

Harry doesn't want to think about that. So instead, he watches Cisco. He stands back and sees the way Cisco ghosts between them all, offering words of comfort to Tracey, and a gentle hand on the shoulder to Wally. He hangs back while Cisco says goodbye to Caitlin, who is so far from the Caitlin he knew that he doesn't see a point of engaging with her at all. 

When Barry leaves, he says his goodbye, but he can't help but feel it's rather pointless, when he doesn't really fully understand why it is Barry feels so strongly that he has to abandon the people he loves in the name of repentance. 

They all disperse, going their separate ways. Harry plans on heading back to S.T.A.R. labs. It isn't like he has anywhere else _to_ go. He never made a home here. Not like HR apparently did, given Cisco's comment about heading over to pack up HR's things at his newly minted apartment. Before Harry can think about it, he finds himself agreeing to tag along. 

“Everything's still in boxes,” Cisco says sadly when they arrive. He lets out a loud sigh, before beginning the work of stacking the boxes near the door. 

Harry meanwhile, takes in the meager furniture and sea of boxes for himself. A studio apartment, dirty clothes jumbled up on the floor in front of a mattress wrapped in cotton sheets, and far too many empty coffee cups in the sink. 

He sets to washing the dishes, needing to feel useful but unwilling to touch HR's things. He gets into a rhythm, washing cup after cup, all of his focus on rubbing out those light brown stains. So much so that it's only once the faucet is turned off, that he can hear Cisco crying. 

Harry freezes, a white knuckled grip on the edge of the sink keeping him tethered in place. He considers leaving Cisco be, but something in him breaks at the sound, reminiscent of the weakness he felt those nights Jesse would scream out for her mother and his only words to soothe her with was that while she was gone, he was still here. 

Cisco is sitting on HR's bed, hair hanging in front of his face, obscuring it from Harry's view. Harry crouches down in front of him, hands coming to rest on the bed on each side of Cisco, framing him. With a shuddering breath, Cisco glances up at him. His splotchy red eyes bore into him as if searching for an answer that Harry doesn't have to give.

“Cisco,” Harry simply says, unable to find any other words that sit well on his tongue just then.

“Harry,” Cisco replies, cringing at the sound of his wavering voice. He takes a steadying breath, and goes to push his hair behind his ear, missing most of it with his shaking hand, so Harry does the rest for him, letting his fingers run gently down the strands once they are secured, unable to resist leaving his hand resting gently on Cisco's shoulder. 

“You can't leave, Harry.”

Harry's voice is rough and brisk when he speaks. “I told you I was staying.”

“Yeah, I've heard that one before,” Cisco snorts, wiping angrily at his eyes. 

Harry swallows the lump in his throat, and casts away all sense of decorum and lines he swore long ago he would never cross, moving to sit beside Cisco on the bed and pull him into a far too familiar embrace. Cisco collapses into him, head resting in the crook of Harry's neck, each breath a tickling hot wave against his skin. “I'm not going anywhere. I swear it.”

Cisco pulls back a few inches and looks up at Harry. Harry looks back, unashamed of whatever Cisco might see with his barriers down, and his emotions so raw. If Cisco is willing to be this vulnerable with him, then Harry at least owes him that much in return.

Cisco doesn't give Harry time to react before he kisses him, lunging forward needily. Harry can taste the salt on his lips, and feel the tear tracks on Cisco's cheeks beneath his fingertips. Harry knows he should stop this, for Cisco's sake if not his own. But Harry has never been the better man, so he doesn't. He pushes Cisco back onto the bed; onto HR's bed (a thought that makes him feel a little sick until he casts it away in favor of divesting Cisco of his clothes) and let's whatever Cisco wants to happen, happen. 

The next morning Harry wakes up to bright and cheery sunlight pouring in from the too large window, and an otherwise empty apartment. He feels sore all over, muscles that he hasn't used in far too long protesting as he sits up. There's no sign Cisco was here, other than the stacked boxes by the door and the used condom in the trash next to the bed. Harry cleans up as best he can, takes a shower and goes to S.T.A.R. Labs wholly unsure if he wants to see Cisco there or not.

His feeling are confirmed when a surge of a disappointment swells up in him at the sight of Cisco there, but not alone. Iris is by his side, the two of them making piles out of the mayhem that is now The Cortex.

“Shouldn't we think about hiring a crew to come here and do this?” Harry asks, in lieu of anything else to say. 

Iris and Cisco whip their heads around the look at him. He doesn't know why he expects some amusement coloring Cisco's voice when he speaks, given everything that's happened, but he does. Instead he gets a far too sardonic reply.

“Oh, right. And we tell them what when they asked what happened? That the time remnant of the hero of Central City tore this place apart?” Cisco throws whatever it is he's holding into what is clearly the trash pile, wiping his hands off on his jeans. Harry tracks the movement, wanting to move closer but wholly unsure if that would be welcome.

He takes a chance anyway, using the guise of helping out to brush against Cisco. It only lasts a second, but Harry can feel Cisco tense up before resuming his relaxed stance. Wordlessly, Harry steps back. 

“Or, you could tell them a meta attacked. Wouldn't be unusual in this city,” Harry suggests, giving the pile a little kick. 

“No, we're doing this ourselves,” Iris insists, hands on her hips. Her usual flashy attire has been traded out for worn jeans and a shirt now stained with grease, oil and dirt. She looks more determined than Harry has ever seen her. “We need to make sure it's ready.”

“Ready for what?” Harry asks flatly, though he thinks he already knows the answer.

“Ready for when we bring back Barry.” Iris doesn't wait for a response. Maybe she knows Harry enough to realize that whatever he's going to say, she won't like. Or maybe she just doesn't care. She gathers up as much of the 'keep' pile of equipment as she can, and leaves Harry alone with Cisco.

“Hi” Harry simply says, his voice ringing out strangely in the silence.

“Hi?” Cisco's forehead creases in confusion from where he is kneeling on the ground. With a shake of his head, he turns his attention away from Harry and back on the mess.

Harry breathes in deeply through his nose. “Yeah, okay. I get it.”

The tone of Harry's voice carries just what Harry intended it to from the way Cisco snaps.

“Look, can we just not talk about it. I don't want to talk about it. Not now. Not here.”

While Cisco isn't giving Harry the courtesy of looking up at him, Harry only has eyes for him. He takes in the tension emanating from Cisco; the slight shake of his hands, and finds anger and frustration giving way to concern, and maybe just a touch of fear. “Understood.”

Cisco doesn't protest to Harry's short response. He doesn't push him for more. He barely even talks to him as they make their way through The Cortex, section by section. By the afternoon, they've made more headway than Harry expected, breaking for lunch brought by Wally and Joe. Both of them look as tired as Harry feels. 

“Thanks for helping out,” Joe says. “Not just today. I know this wasn't your fight.”

The comment stings, but Harry can't come up with a way to express that it was just as much his fight as theirs without sharing parts of himself he has no interest in Joe seeing. 

It takes Joe acting the parent to both Cisco and Iris to convince them they won't get it all done in a single day. Iris and Cisco cast glances between each other, silently debating whether they should listen, before Iris lets out a tired sigh, stretches and leaves with Joe's arm around her shoulders. Harry watches with arms crossed, leaning against the wall while Cisco languidly powers down the lights and few working computer terminals. 

With the room cast in shadows from the emergency lighting, Harry can just barely make out the cautious expression on Cisco's face when he speaks. 

“You coming?”

Without thinking, Harry nods and trails after him.

The layer of sweat and dirt on Harry's skin has him fantasizing more about a shower than Cisco's bed, but when they enter Cisco's apartment and he finds himself pushed against the wall, Cisco's knee braced between his legs, all thoughts of cleanliness are forgotten. 

The rough callouses on Cisco's hands leave goosebumps in their wake as he none too gently pushes underneath Harry's shirt. Harry loses himself in the feeling, letting his lizard brain take over until Cisco's hands began working hurriedly at his belt buckle. 

Harry pulls back, hand pushed against Cisco's chest to create space Cisco is reluctant to allow. “Cisco,” Harry begins roughly. The next sentence is stolen from his mouth by Cisco's tongue, licking away the sweat on Harry's clavicle. 

“Less talking. More kissing,” Cisco demands hand finally finding it's way into Harry's pants. The reasoned voice in the back of Harry's head, shouting out all the dangers this situation poses is drowned out by Cisco's moans. 

_____

Harry is usually a light sleeper, but somehow he misses Cisco leaving yet again. He's still in Cisco's bed, wrapped in Cisco's comforter, with Cisco's scent clinging to his skin. He allows himself a few moments to revel in it before making use of Cisco's shower, and heading to the place he knows he will find Cisco. 

It's almost a mirror image of the day before, save for Iris and Cisco's changed clothes and the slightly more kempt state of the Cortex. Cisco is knee deep in wiring beneath one of the tables, while Iris crouches beside him, handing over tools when Cisco asks for them. Iris says something, and Cisco laughs, actually laughs, for the first time since Harry came back. Harry freezes where he stands, fingers digging into his thigh through the thin material of his pocket, and does nothing to fight against the rush of affection he feels at the sound of it. The only piece missing, he thinks, is that he wasn't the one to pull that sound from Cisco. 

Harry clears his throat, and moves forward. “Can I help?” 

Cisco bites his lip, and nods. “I'm working on getting the entire system back on line. I could use another set of hands.”

“I'll go check and see how Wally's doing,” Iris says to Cisco before directing her attention at Harry. “Wally's with my dad, investigating the point where Barry left. Seeing if they can find out anything.”

“Nevermind that they don't know what they're looking for,” Cisco sighs. “I should be out there.”

“This is more important,” Iris asserts, patting Cisco on the arm before standing up. “The last thing we need is a bad meta attack, and no place to fight it. Barry can wait.” Pain laces her parting words, but strength does too. A strength Harry is more than thankful for when he sees the way it makes Cisco's shoulders relax ever so slightly with the knowledge that he won't have to carry this team by himself. 

Rather than joining Cisco on the floor, Harry finds a chair and pulls it close so he's looking down over Cisco. They work for a while, passing tools back and forth as needed, and Harry can pretend for just a moment that things are back to normal here. 

“Pass me the tweezers?” Cisco asks, holding his hand up, but not looking away from his work. 

Harry does as asked, indulging himself when he lets the pass take just slightly too long so he can feel the heat of Cisco's skin against his own. Cisco pauses, for just a moment, eyes meeting Harry's, before he puts his head back down and works. Harry should leave it there. Knows enough about Cisco to realize that right now he'd be less than receptive to what Harry wants from him, but his self control has never been what Harry wishes it would be. He runs his hand across Cisco's shoulder blades, digging a thumb into the nape of Cisco's neck, clicking his tongue at the tension he finds there. Cisco breathes in deeply and for a second it seems like Harry's touch is welcome. Then, he shrugs off Harry, and stands, looking just as lost as he did at the funeral. 

“Is this about HR?” The question that pours from his lips surprises even Harry. 

“Is what about HR?” Cisco asks, a hard edge to his tone. He shakes his head, not waiting for an answer and goes across the room for some water.

Harry follows, his eyes tracking the the bob of Cisco's throat as he swallows. “Is that what this–” Harry gestures between them. “–is about?”

“What? No. It wasn't like that.” Cisco says, his eyes wide as the realization of what Harry means dawns on him. “HR was with Tracey and I – I never saw him that way. Not him.”

It settles something in Harry he didn't even know was a cause of consternation. He can deal with a lot of reasons behind Cisco wanting Harry to touch him but that one, would be beyond him.

“What was it like?” Harry asks, despite himself. He moves closer to Cisco, forcing Cisco to have to look up to meet his gaze. He doesn't really want to know the answer, not really. But looking at Cisco, he thinks, that Cisco really needs to talk about it with someone. And with Wally, Joe and Iris so focused on Barry, he can't imagine there is a single person Cisco can go to with this. Which leaves him.

“Well, Harry, maybe you'd know if you'd been here this year instead of off on your Earth doing whatever it is you do.”

The comment doesn't just sting; it cuts. “You want to know what I've been doing? Besides running a multi-billion dollar company that my world depends on, of course. I've been sitting there, night after night, waiting for my daughter to come back from fighting battles that aren't hers. That are of this Earth's making. That's what I've been doing.”

“Uh. Should we come back?” 

Harry closes his eyes in frustration at the sound of Joe's voice from behind him. He bites his cheek to keep himself from screaming at Joe that yes, they should, and instead, walks as far away from Cisco as he can without actually leaving the room.

“Did you find anything?” Cisco asks, instead of answering.

“Nothing of use,” Joe sighs, rubbing at his eyes. “Though I did hear a report at the station about someone who could be Killer Frost leaving the city. They're still looking for her, you know.”

“She isn't Killer Frost,” Cisco grounds out, his voice echoing in the silence. “She's Caitlin.”

“Right,” Joe starts, with a shake of his head. “Of course. Sorry.” Joe looks at Harry then, with more than a little concern. “Anyway, she's headed South, but we aren't sure where yet.”

“Caitlin doesn't want us following her.”

“But don't you think it's a good idea to anyway?” Wally suggests to Cisco. “I mean, just in case.”

“I'm not doing that. We've had enough lies between us to last a lifetime. Caitlin will come back when she's ready.”

“You have anything to say about this?” Joe asks Harry incredulously. 

Harry doesn't blame Joe for not trusting Caitlin, after everything. It's the smart thing to do. Any other time, he'd probably be on Joe's side, but a need to defend Cisco overwrites that logic. “I think Cisco knows what he's doing.”

The comment has the desired effect. Cisco gives Harry a grateful, if meager, smile. Harry answers back with his own smile of satisfaction. He did that. He can still make Cisco do that, even after all he's missed. 

_____

The third time it happens, Harry is sure will be the last. He's in Cisco's apartment again, Cisco splayed beneath him, head tilted up to give Harry access to what is quickly becoming his favorite spot to bite and kiss. Cisco's eyes are closed; a complete sign of trust that for some reason hits Harry harder than everything else Cisco has let Harry do to him. It occurs to him suddenly, just what all of this means for him. He's tried so hard not to look too closely at it, to just let it happen and follow Cisco's lead through this. Harry knows he has a lot of flaws but none irk him quite as much as how seriously he takes falling in love. 

“We have to stop.” 

Cisco blinks up at him, and shakes his head, reaching for Harry. Harry moves off of Cisco, and sits back on his heels, right there in the middle of the bed. 

“I mean it, Cisco.”

Cisco's expression changes then, as if he's finally hearing Harry. He nods jerkily, sitting up and crossing his arms over his bare chest. ”If that's what you need, yeah. We'll stop. Shit, sorry Harry. If I pushed.”

Harry doesn't have a reply. Part of him wants to placate Cisco, but another part just feels angry. Not at Cisco, but at himself. He could have this if he wants. Be satisfied with what Cisco's offering, which is more than he ever thought he deserved. But with his typical selfishness he wants more; he wants it all. 

“You can stay, if you want. We don't have to-” Cisco stops, making a frustrated sound. “You don't have to leave, okay? Tell me you aren't going to go back because I-”

Harry shushes him, reaching out and taking hold of Cisco's ankle. “I told you I'm not going anywhere. I meant it. This doesn't change that. I just can't do this with you anymore.”

The amazing part of it is, with all the running Harry has done in the past which he is now convinced was all about this thing that has been building just on the edges of his awareness between him and Cisco, leaving hadn't occurred to him at all just now. If there was any doubt of how taken he is, this single realization casts it away. 

“I'm in love with you.”

Cisco doesn't respond right away, but no matter the answer, Harry can't regret saying it. Hiding isn't an option when it comes to this. A fact he should have realized long before it went this far. Back when he found himself stepping back onto this Earth, excuses dripping from his tongue about Jesse's speed, or Grodd, or helping to defeat yet another entity set on making their lives as miserable as possible. Those things were true, but inevitably, it was always about Cisco. Would always be about Cisco. He knows that now.

“Okay, definitely not what I expected you to say,” Cisco laughs in disbelief. 

“What did you expect?” Harry asks, more out of curiosity than anything else.

“Not that. Maybe something like, 'I belong on my world, Cisco. Here's lookin' at you kid.'”

“Casablanca.”

“It totally works for us,” Cisco nods. He reaches over the side of the bed, and slips his shirt back on, hunching in on himself as he does. Harry follows suit, and stands.

“I'm going to go sleep at the lab.”

“You don't have to,” Cisco reminds him.

“I know that. I'll see you tomorrow.” 

Given that he was the one who just demanded space, it's a little hypocritical of him to lean over and kiss Cisco on his head before leaving. He calls it a gift to himself; one final touch to carry with him. The last thing he does before he falls asleep, is press his fingers to his lips and will them to remember. 

_____

It takes nearly a week before Cisco acknowledges what happened between them. Six long days of cleaning and fixing and researching. Of watching Cisco out in the field with Wally, risking his life while Harry cuts fingernail shaped holes into his palm, screaming into the headset for them to stop being so stupid and get to safety. Harry had just about resigned himself to them never talking about it at all, when he noticed Cisco putting the pieces in place to make sure the two of them were left alone in The Cortex. 

“I'm not going to lie to you,” Cisco starts softly, moving to Harry's side. “Sleeping with you was not exactly a planned thing. That doesn't mean I didn't want to, or that I don't want to again.”

“Sex isn't enough for me,” Harry responds moodily. God, how he wishes it could be enough, just so he could have something.

“Yeah, I kind of got that from the whole love declaration thing. That's surprisingly sweet.” Cisco says with consideration. He slips his fingers through Harry's, and Harry has to suck in a breath at the gesture. “Usually I'm the one whose falling all over myself to be with someone.”

“Don't sound so pleased about it.”

“Sorry,” Cisco says, sounding more amused than sorry. “I do like you. Don't think I don't. I just never thought that's where your head was at.”

Harry ducks his head down, all too aware of the, what he hopes isn't premature, hope that is swelling inside him at Cisco's admission. “Fair enough.”

Cisco leans into him, head resting on Harry's shoulder. “I'm a bit of a hot mess right now, if you couldn't tell.”

“Oh, I could tell.”

Cisco jabs him in the side with a light laugh. “Real nice.”

Harry brings his hand up to run through Cisco's hair. Instead of pulling away or tensing up, Cisco relaxes into it. It's more than Harry ever expected from him. “If you need time, I can give you that.”

“I don't know what I need. I know I need you here. Probably selfish of me, but.” Cisco shrugs, leaving the sentence hanging. 

Harry thinks if anybody deserves to be a little selfish right now, it's Cisco. He doesn't share that sentiment out loud, fully aware of how Cisco would take it on as a burden instead of the statement of support it's meant as. “It's not selfish if I want to be here.”

Cisco pulls away, just enough so that his eyes can meet Harry's. “You're making it really hard not to kiss you, just so you know.”

“You shouldn't say things like that unless you want to be kissed,” Harry challenges, a coy smile breaking out on his face. He could get used to this, he thinks. Flirting with Cisco right here out in the open, instead of hiding behind barbed comments. 

“You're going to be a complete jerk about this, aren't you?”

“You wouldn't want it any other way, Ramon.”

“No, I wouldn't.” Cisco tilts his head up, and kisses Harry on the cheek; a promise of what might yet come with time. 

Wordlessly, they dive back into piecing together this place that has become the center of both of their lives. Harry appreciates that there is still so much work to be done. That it's going to take time, and patience on all of their parts. He thinks back to his Earth, and the ease with which he could live there and then looks at Cisco, and knows he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
